It’s comforting..

.. that the word scared is just a move from sacred, right?

November 12th, 2008 at 8:58 am • Add Comment • Filed in Brainstrobing

Red Links 12/11/08

Fergal has a new blog, These Are Songs. First up, ‘Frankie and Johnny’.

Middle-aged moany musician takes his place on the middle-of-the-road golf links runway. Yay. A pox on those misery boots! Just in time for the reissue of Murmur too.

Want! Fresh way to divide a space meets lego fun.

A green keyboard.

The not-so lame Burger King tees. A bit Threadless, but a worthy start.

AA Gill is a genius. Every word he writes melts like quicksilver:

Now, there are three immutable rules for a happy, regret-free life. Never make a pass at an oriental girl whose Adam’s apple is bigger than her breasts; don’t put anything in your mouth that involves a bet; and never, ever eat at the suggestion of a photographer.

Daring to be different. The new Toshiba ad.

The Submarines ‘Thorny Thicket’

November 12th, 2008 at 5:31 am • Add Comment • Filed in Red Links

Toilet Graffiti Embroidery

This site is just too cool. I just couldn’t wait until the Reds go out in the morning. Beware, May Not Be Safe for Work!

My favourite is I Could Die Today, but I do love I Have..

November 11th, 2008 at 10:10 pm • Add Comment • Filed in Culture

A Time to Kill Bad Slideshows

We’ve all been to grey old presentations where 1200 words are spat unto a slide in Comic Sans. Now’s the time to do something about it. Here are a few things I’m trying to spice up my slides.

MAKING SLIDES MEMORABLE

Use Text Sparingly

Original photo by dmodzelewski (cc)

The more and more I attend and give presentations, the less text I want to put on and/or see on them. Slides are there to highlight a point, not to fill up with an essay. Too much text confuses the audience. Ideally, a slide should just have a single statement on it, with an image that pushes that idea home.

Some of us are wowed by text, others by images and yet more are bent to the auditory. Why not make your presentation appeal to all of the above? Cut the fat right out of your slides and build out a takeaway document for your audience. Slides sell the idea, a takeaway is opportunity to record context.

Stick to a Three-colour Theme, if possible

Original photo by Mestissa (cc)

You want your slides to look unique. Iconic. Logo designers often stick to a three colour palette with a eye to simplify a concept.

Taking this idea into slides, use coloured headings to highlight your points. Try to associate your palette with how you want your audience to feel. If you are trying to sell a new idea, something fresh and clean - how about green and blue? If it’s a luxury item, should you be looking at something burgundy? Of course, the main font ought to stay black, unless of course you decide to mix it up and use one of the heading colours as a background in a slide or two. Black text on burgundy? Ugh! No! Be smart.

If you are using Powerpoint 2007, your choices can be made this a little easier as it has a suite of themes on tap. There are piles of sites out there like that do help web designers with colour combos. You could check those out for inspiration.

Make use of Creative Commons images

Original photo by blprnt_van (cc)

Spice up your slides by using pictures licensed under Creative Commons. There are lots places where you can pick up quality photos and use, once you use them under the correct license and are sure to give proper attribution to the photographer/artist. Lots of people are turned on if you use their images. Just make sure you don’t abuse their kindness.

I like to use Jazz Biscuit’s handy Creative Commons image search. Yes and all of my images were found using it.

ON THE DAY, BE PREPARED

Cast a Hook

Original photo by The Wandering Angel (cc)

Be daring, the meek aren’t remembered. Your audience have carved out time in their schedule and are ready to be blown away. While this can be hard in some presentations, there’s almost always a neat idea that you use to make a lasting impression.

Are you making a bold statement? Can you use a live demonstration in your presentation with props? Things that people can smell, touch and feel leave a tangible mark with the audience. If it’s presentation on food, can you bring samples?

Ask yourself everything

Original photo by Tonamel (cc)

Imagine all your toughest critics in the room. When you quote numbers, stats or give examples have your homework done.

If you’re selling then the audience are like a team of VCs. Be sure to give precise answers. If you don’t know the answer to something admit it, make a note and promise to come back on that issue after the talk. Move on, there’s nothing to gain by talking bull.

Know your venue

Original photo by jcortell (cc)

Scope out where you’re going to do the presentation. Do you have to bring a laptop? Got the required AV cable to hook into the projector?

Also there’s a number of simple things you ought to do, like check you have enough seats and meeting notes for attendees. Know where the light and AC controls are too.

Do you have any presentation tips you’d like to add?

November 11th, 2008 at 4:48 pm • 2 Comments • Filed in Brainstrobing, Design

I wish it could be Christmas everyday

November 11th, 2008 at 12:54 pm • 1 Comment • Filed in Photos

Why haven’t we seen a desktop App Store?

Photo owned by dno1967 (cc)

News broke last night that the iPhone has finally surpassed the Motorola RAZR, the ubiquitous cell, as America’s top-selling mobile phone this quarter. That’s big news. Big, big news. Why? Not only does it mark a major change in the game of user expectations in what constitutes a mobile phone.

It’s easy to wax lyrical about the iPhone’s Multitouch touchscreen technology or the thinking that went into understanding user workflow scenarios like the seamless move from iPod to phone call back to iPod. What’s more interesting is how the App Store and iTunes have changed phone users behaviour from passive to occasional, if not habitual consumers of downloads. Some of which are paid.

It can’t be very long before we every other mobile phone operator/operating system or cooperatives of them combined offering similar Application marketplaces. And much like every other standards war = VHS v Betamax, there will be long drawn out maneuvers. Leaving this aside, can the model of an App Store be moved and used elsewhere?

What the iPhone has given Apple, is the much hallowed Halo effect where Mac sales have picked up. That’s the hardware world. What’s really fascinating to think about, is can a micropayment marketplace take off on the desktop or rather through the desktop? For example, say I was in the market for real photo-editing tool. Something semi-pro. The Devil in me would salivate at pro Photoshop, the Pragmatist shirk. Wouldn’t the jump to downloading and/or renting only those features I use be an easier pill to swallow? How long before I decide I want more of product X? Woo me with features and nab my custom with ease of use and minimal overhead.

Is it very far-fetched to believe that in the near future, I could simply rent pro features off Photoshop on desktop (be through client software or the web). I’m not talking Photoshop Express. No dumbed down features. Perhaps, the industry is waiting on cloud computing to hit that price sweet spot. The potential customers are there. Now, who’ll be the first desktop/desktop-accessible Application Store?

November 11th, 2008 at 10:17 am • 5 Comments • Filed in Geekery

Palin no likey bloggers

Last night Sarah Palin gave her first post-election interview to Greta Van Susteren and On the Record on Fox News. Palin keeps on giving, even after she’s been shipped back to Alaska, quite possibly “in the belly of the plane”. She’s busy drillin’, of course. Yes, it’s Fox News so they go easy on her.

You can still play Bullshit Bingo, if you watch the whole interview, though. Her stylists were “nice gals”.

Still love the cadence of her speech. She continues to concentrates on the wrong word on every * single * sentence.

Skip to 1:40 from the end. Ouch, you still scared of the bloggers, Sarah?

Part 1 of Palin interview with Greta Van Susteran. Part 2 of the interview and more.

November 11th, 2008 at 8:30 am • Add Comment • Filed in Blogging, Politics

Red Links 11/11/08

The Liveblog.ie community is liveblogging the sub-committee on EU Affairs meeting on ‘Ireland’s Future Approach to EU Policy areas’ later this morning from 10am. Webcast heaven.

Epic picture find by Tommy. Be very afraid, This Will Destroy You.

Silicon Republic’s new gadget review sister site, Gadget Republic just launched. Stop over and see the sights. Good luck Marie!

Via Martha, the Dublin Area Microsoft User Group are hosting a seminar on Visual Studio 2010 this Friday at the Morrison. I know it’s ages away but the speakers are hot from TechEd Barcelona. The .Net Framework 4.0 will be covered too. You don’t need to be a member of the user group, you can signup on the site!

When your social networking employees bite customers back. Damn, the group is private!

20 manliest moustaches and beards in history from the Art of Manliness. Another great site name.

Fab bus advertising.

Phosphorescent ‘Full Grown Man’

November 11th, 2008 at 5:11 am • Add Comment • Filed in Red Links

Ah-ha! Alan Partridge and the sex people

November 10th, 2008 at 10:59 pm • 1 Comment • Filed in Culture

His Al Goreness’ big foamy finger on Web 2.0 and Green issues

[Do I Have an Addictive Personality?]
Photo owned by rhobinn (cc)

He who hath created the Internet doth proclaim we should STFU and focus on Green. His Al Goreness starts:

“Web 2.0 has to have a purpose.”

He continues using a big, pointy foam hand:

“The purpose, I would urge all of you — as many of you as are willing to take it up — is to bring about a higher level of consciousness about our planet and the imminent danger and opportunity we face because of the radical transformation in the relationship between human beings and the Earth,”

The NY Times says it succinctly:

In other words, Web 2.0 should be used to fight global warming. He didn’t say exactly how, but that didn’t stop the audience from giving two standing ovations to the Oscar-winning movie director, venture capitalist, money manager, book author, cable television mogul and Nobel laureate.

Where’s Bono when you need him? Maybe he has the missing cue cards. De Masterplan. Web 2.0 should be about bringing a “higher level of consciousness about our planet”? WTF? Isn’t that what parenting and educating our kids on the goals of society is all about. Web 2.0, 3.0 - or whatever Bullshit Bingo His Goreness is serving is just a toolkit. Ways of empowering individuals and organisations with an arsenal tools to manage and analyse data to synthesise information. Web 2.0 is business.

Businesses are all about profitability, achieved through innovation and increased efficiency. If that innovation uncovers an advance that ends up changing our daily lives for the benefit of the planet, then great stuff. Ethics in business conduct - yes, but profits drive innovation. In fact, as push comes to make increased use of our very rare resources (manpower included), those Web 2.0-ish tools will be used naturally as the economic benefits make them viable.

His Goreness makes tidy speech goals aimed to bearhug his Green supporters, but his vague approach says more about his belief in viability of Mammy-State Green businesses. Your Al Goreness, leave raising the consciousness of Green issues to the family and society at large. Great enterpreneurs will see promise in the problems our planet faces today. They will be the ones that will solve those problems through innovation and create value and jobs where hithertofore there was none.

November 10th, 2008 at 2:34 pm • 4 Comments • Filed in Business, Geekery, Politics

Science Week kicked off yesterday

Science Week kicked off yesterday, and there’s plenty of events to keep you occupied. While the week seems ostensibly focused on child-friendly topics, there are some interesting events that will tickled the fancy of kids of all ages.

Some events in Dublin city that caught my eye include:

“How technology is opening a new dimension” at the European Union House in Dawson Street organised by the French Embassy’s Cultural and Scientific Service. A mixed-media exhibition on nano tech in medicine, engineering and computer science presented in both French and English. The exhibition has pieces in film and text. French researchers have traveled over specially for the exhibit to augment the presentations. Nice. Admission is free and the exhibition is open until Saturday, 10am to 5:30pm daily.

“End of Age” by Professor Tom Kirkwood at Royal Irish Academy. Kirkwood is the Director of the Institute for Ageing and Health at the Newcastle University. He did a whole series of “End of Age” lectures for BBC Radio 4, where he covered societal views on longevity through the ages, walked through how our DNA ages and biomedical engineering - topics he’ll no doubt flip through in this session. The talk is open to the general public and starts at 6pm.

November 10th, 2008 at 12:19 pm • Add Comment • Filed in Geekery

Red Links 10/11/08

Nice crane photo by Andy from Saturday’s Flickr meet.

Yet again, Dell get the social web. Here’s their community site. Still a way to go, but a nice start. Via Joseph.

Multi-touch using only a webcam.

The iPhone Flip Clock app - customisable with your own photos. (iTunes Store link)

King of Kong Kill Screen tee.

Love this. Walk on genii.

Isobel Campbell feat. Mark Lanegan ‘Saturday’s Gone’. Slideshow vid, but quality tune.

November 10th, 2008 at 5:27 am • 3 Comments • Filed in Red Links

I’m ready for my close-up! Sub-committee on EU Affairs webcasting this Tuesday

Becoming slightly obsessed with the technology supporting our body politik lately, so news that the Sub-Committee on EU Affairs hearing on ‘Ireland’s Future Approach to EU Policy areas’ is webcasting on Tuesday morning from 10am is welcome.

On the agenda:

10.00 a.m. (Session 1)

The evolution of the CFSP/ESDP and the Foreign Policy Challenges facing the EU

Ms. Helga Schmid CFSP Policy Unit, General Secretariat of the Council

11.30 a.m. (Session 2)

Ireland’s approach to the CFSP/ESDP and its position on military neutrality

Mr. Daniel Keohane, Institute for Security Studies

Mr. Ben Tonra, University College Dublin

2.30 p.m. (Session 3)

Ireland’s future in the European Union: issues relating to the Sub-Committee’s remit

Mr. Micheál Martin, T.D., Minister for Foreign Affairs

4.00 p.m. (Session 4)

Ireland’s Approach to EU Financial and Economic Policy and the role of the ECB

Mr. Tom O’Connell, Central Bank of Ireland

Where the CFSP is the Common Foreign and Security Policy of EU (the agreed common foreign policy of member states) and ESDP is the European Security and Defence Policy. Why are the acronyms? Simple is better.

And the rockstars on the sub-committee include:

Senator Paschal Donohoe, Fine Gael (Chairman)

Thomas Byrne, TD (Fine Fáil)
Joe Costello, TD, (Labour)
Lucinda Creighton, TD (Fine Gael)
Timmy Dooley, TD (Fianna Fáil)
Beverly Flynn, TD (Fianna Fáil)
Michael McGrath, TD (Fianna Fáil)
Billy Timmins, TD (Fine Gael)

Senator Deirdre deBurca (GP)
Senator Pearse Doherty (Sinn Féin)
Senator Ronan Mullen, (Independent)
Senator Phil Prendergast, (Lab)

Perhaps the webcast is more about exposing more transparency of the EU policy machinations. To be honest I’m surprised that this webcast hasn’t been large upped more. It’s not just political animals that ought to watch this kinda thing. Although, if it’s just a vehicle for EU dogma, then we might as well skip it. Edit: Course, it’s more likely to be a heavy does of paranoia about Lisbon Part Deux (this got lost in original post!)

I’d much prefer some spud-covered national issue areas like Agriculture, Finance or Health to be webcasted. C’mon oireachtas.ie, we’ll hug you even more.

November 9th, 2008 at 8:39 pm • 1 Comment • Filed in Politics